PEACE

"You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." ~ Isaiah 55:12

This verse has rung a little truer for me the past couple of weeks. I've known and even often counseled others to allow the peace of the Lord to guide your steps. The doors He wants you to walk through will bring peace to your soul. I truly believed that and still do, but it has never run so true to me as it has this past couple of weeks. And the evidence I found of this came in the most unlikely place, my very own daughter who hadn't lived in peace for some time.

You see, I've been praying fervently for this adult child of mine for many years. I knew she wasn't living in peace. In fact, she was living in incredible inner turmoil. I wanted so desperately to help her, but was unable. It was a burden I had to hand over to Jesus time and time again. And I'm so glad I did.

When God answers prayer, He does it in a much bigger way that I could have ever dreamed of. Just three weeks ago, I could not have imagined my life, her life as it is right now. In desperation and fear of her life, she called me to bring her to the ER. During that almost week in the hospital I saw a huge transformation in her life come right before my eyes. I saw God at work as He moment by moment transformed her story into His story. Each day as her body was healing, her mind was also being renewed. She knew that God orchestrated her survival story. And He did it not only for her to survive, but to thrive.

A few days after she got to the hospital, she told us that she was feeling a peace that she had never felt before. It was a beautiful thing. The peace she felt was contagious and we felt it as well. I knew at that moment that she was going to be alright.

She decided to change directions in life and came back home with us. What I love about this, is that I've been able to learn so much from her these past couple of weeks. I'm watching as she is choosing to be led forth in peace. There's been many decisions that she's had to make, and some that are being made for her. In all of this she is always choosing the path of peace. There have been some crazy things happen, and I watch her navigate it so wisely. If she doesn't feel peace, she knows she needs to wait on the Lord.

Because of this, she has found a new joy. And the rest of this Isaiah passage runs true as well as our house is now literally bursting in song because she is home. She's found joy in music again and has been playing her flute and piano. This warms my mama's heart, brings me joy, and gives me peace.

This girl has a long road yet to travail, but I know it's going to be all right because she's walking the way of peace...